• Judges honored the band with a rating of “Excellent” at the State Marching Band Festival.

The Star Valley Marching Braves returned with honor Sunday after earning a rating of “Excellent” at the Wyoming State Marching Band Festival on Saturday, October 19 in Casper. The “Excellent” rating is the second highest rating offered through the festival.

RELATED: (WATCH) SVHS MARCHING BAND PERFORMS AT STATE –

This year’s show, titled “The Wild West,” consisted of western flavor music and visuals that brought the old west to life, complete with a gunslinger duel, bold choreography, cowboy hats and wanted posters.  Band members came off the floor extremely pleased and energized with confidence that they had given their all and done their very best. Individual members ran and pumped their fists in the air. Friends hugged and pounded one another’s backs with vigor. Whole sections knelt together in gratitude in the middle of the parking lot. They were so pleased.

“The score we received doesn’t change anything about our performance,” said Kurt Sand, SVHS Band Director, in an interview with SVI Media immediately following the conclusion of the festival. “The score stands on its own. I’m very pleased that the way the kids felt after their performance met and exceeded our goal to be super proud of ourselves. It doesn’t feel as good to be awarded ‘Excellent’ versus ‘Superior,’ but they did a great, great job and I’m super proud of them.”

Sand feels that this band and marching season were exceptional for several reasons. Only two days before the festival, Sand had received a message from David French, Cody High School Band Director, with the news that one of his students from Meeteetse, who was marching with the Cody Band, had been in a terrible car accident as she traveled to the final practice before State Festival. She had been life-flighted and was in critical condition.

Sand immediately reached out to Marching Braves Band Assistant, Dani Call, asking for ideas on how the band could show support and compassion for their suffering friends in Cody. Call and Colorguard Coach Harmony Guttierez braided 74 strands of blue and yellow paracord that the SVHS band wore on their uniforms during their festival performance and then presented to French. Cody was “very touched” by the gesture, and the Marching Braves were genuinely supportive of the Cody Broncs.

When Sand originally found the music for this year’s festival piece, he immediately envisioned the Marching Braves performing the show, but the music was written at a professionally competitive level. The publisher offered a version more appropriate for a high school band, and so the Marching Braves determined to tackle the less complex version, which was still the most challenging music that the band had attempted in Sand’s 23-year tenure at SVHS. The percussion part, however, was not simplified, and the percussion section labored to master it.

Only weeks prior to the State Festival, Sand reached out to friends and professionals who put him in touch with percussion specialist, Evan Bradley, for help to rewrite the percussion part. Bradley tackled the rewrite, completing it in only 72 hours, and then visited the Marching Braves percussionists to assist them in learning the simpler, yet very demanding part.

“The work put in and progress made by those kids that day was very impressive,” said Sand. “This took place just three days before our first competition in Rexburg [at the end of September]. The drumline went into that performance just hoping to survive.”  With only three weeks until the State Festival, the drumline went to work on the still very challenging percussion music, demonstrating marked improvement each day.

“This season I saw more individual practice and ownership of the music than ever before,” Sand said. “I saw the student leadership team effectively organize sectional practices at a level that I’ve only dreamed about over the last 23 years. The effort and work ethic displayed by the entire band was at an advanced level that we’ve never seen before. I am very pleased with the efforts shown by every single member of the marching band. They grew and progressed in a variety of ways.”

The Marching Braves’ legacy and mission remains the same as it has always been – “Give a performance at State that we are proud of. When we came off the floor at state, the band was so pleased and proud. There were genuine tears of happiness over the performance. We had overcome so many challenges in preparing that show, and it was a great performance!”

Sand pointed out that bands are not given bonus points – like divers and gymnasts are given – for performing at a higher level of difficulty. Bands do not receive points for the complexity of the music, only for their execution.

Though the judges gave ‘Superior’ level scores for marching and visuals, “we had enough small sections of music that were not quite ‘Superior’ in execution that resulted in a rating of ‘Excellent’.”

“Sometimes the final score does not tell the whole story,” Sand concluded. “I sincerely hope that my [words convey] how special this particular marching band season has been. No doubt, it feels better when they announce your performance at the ‘Superior’ level. Our Marching Braves have experienced both ratings over the years. However, this particular ‘Excellent’ rating is truly special, and I am very proud of our band.”